Two
hydrographic survey vessels, of catamaran type,
have been built by intermarine for the Italian Navy:
such vessels enhance the fleet of the Italian Navy
Hydrographic Institute and are mainly used for the
following applications:
Hydrographic surveys of the Continental platform,
to define its morphology both for nautical chart
purpose and for the bathimetric cartography.
Surveys of ports and access routes (through suitable
sensors and/or a duly equipped small boat) allowing
the exploration of large areas of sea bed
Investigation of obstacles, objects and wreckage
laying on the sea bed
Research related to the chemical - physical parameters
of water mass and of the sea bed with the purpose
of environmental knowledge and continuous monitoring
of the areas of interest.
Wholly built in composite
materials, the vessels have a length of almost 40
meters, a width of 13 m, a displacement of 420 t,
and can achieve a speed of 13 knots. |
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The propulsion is fully electric: two main diesel
engines drive electric generators suitable for providing
power to the electric plant, to the two Schottel
azimuthal propellers and, when necessary, to the
bow thrusters.
The selected propellers, capable of rotating, and
therefore to direct the thrust, through a 360°
azimuth, grant high manoeuvrability while providing
dynamic positioning. This system is integrated with
the radio-navigation data and assures the precise
navigation essential to the operation of hydro-oceanographic
equipment.
The ship's Bridge command system allows for the
control of ship navigation, platform and damage.
The command system includes the following main subsystems:
Ship's
systems control and monitoring system
Dynamic
positioning system
Propulsion
control and monitoring system
A large aft deck area is available for easy accomplishment
of the hydrographic operations: the area is equipped
with an "A-frame" portal crane and with
suitable winches for releasing at sea the CTDs,
the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), the Side Scan
Sonar and other hydrographic devices. Suitable laboratories
are available, and a large Operational room is located
on the aft part of the superstructures for allowing
supervision of the aft deck activities and management
of the hydrographic data collected by various sensors.
A small hydrographic GRP boat, equipped with a hull-mounted
echosounder, communication equipment, radio-positioning
systems and portable computer for data acquisition,
is also carried on board for performing shallow
water surveys of ports and access routes.
The crew
of the vessel consists of 31 persons, but on request,
different arrangements can be foreseen to vary this
number of people.
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